Would the Dark Ages have occured if Constantine hadn't imposed christianity upon the Roman Empire?

Answer 1

Good. question. This is when the church did start becoming fanatic and requiring ultimate rule and obedience to the church. I would say it contributed greatly to the dark ages but I couldn't say what other factors may have contributed. The fall of Rome didn't help. I would have to do more research.

It is interesting to note that the fall of Rome and the begining of the dark ages did coincide in dates. around 476 AD From the research I have done so far. Many scolars say christianity did play a part in the fall of Rome and the fall of Rome started the dark ages.

Answer 2

Pick up a history book the dark ages( which many historians argue was not as bad as described) was caused by the fall of the Roman empire. This ( according to Will Durant) was due to the moral decline of the citizens. If christianity had been taken in earlier and actually practiced it might( using the same form of logic you are using) have prevented the fall of the Roman empire and the dark ages all together.

Answer 3

Yes. The Dark Ages occurred because the Roman Empire fell apart around 200AD. Part of that was the fact the Roman economy was built on conquest, slaves and imports. Then wehn that stoppped and the wandering tribes of the Balkans and Russian stepps moved in (e.g. the Goths, Sarmatians, Vandals, Huns), Rome essentially died.

There was then no order in the west - other than local strongmen/bullies who called themselves 'kings.

People fell into supersitition. Trade and scientific development slowed to a near halt. The population of western europe actually declined due to poor farming practices.

It took 800+ years before things started moving forweard again.

But i think Constantine had little to do with that.

Answer 4

Yes it would have eventually occured since Rome fell for many reasons. Depopulation due to disease and plagues is considered the biggest culprit by historians these days.
Ironically Christianity has kept the spirit of Rome along with her language alive for 2000 years and we still kling to many of her values.
The dark ages occured in the West. The Eastern Empire lasted another thousand years and it in turn was trounced by the Islamic Turks in 1453. Maybe without Christianity Rome would have had to face the rise and spread of Islam.

All in all I believe God or the gods care little for empires. Many rose and fell before the coming of Christianity and after in the far east where Christianity made no in roads.

Regards,

Michael Kelly

Answer 5

Yes.

The Roman Empire fell because it had a political system that encouraged lots of draining civil wars which left it too weak to fend off attacks by increasingly sophisticated and well-organized outsiders (who had become increasingly sophisticated and well-organized as a response to having a large, advanced, and violent neighbor like the Roman Empire right next to them).

Whether or it had become Christian this would still have been the case. If you wanted to save it you would have had to fundamentally change its political system, not its religion.

What history after that would look like without Christianity is anybody's guess. My guess is Europe would have become ruled by Frank and Germannic kingdoms who would still be pagans instead of Christians as in OTL. Islam would never have existed so no Muslim conquests.

BTW I would not say the Romans were the worst people ever, they were not nice guys but by the standards of the time they were actually not that bad.

Answer 6

as a results of fact the Roman empire develop into suffering to maintain administration and effect interior the area's it had in the previous ruled with brute rigidity, killing Christian matyres may be undesirable P.R. Constantine maintained a Pagan perception in the time of his existence and basically particularly switched over to Christianity on his death mattress. As he could no longer in simple terms tell human beings interior the empire from now on your a Christian, he had to steadily Christianise Pagan gala's to make a bitter pill extra ordinary to swallow. subsequently Christmas,Easter celebrations no longer being celebrated via some interior Christianity as a results of those origins.

Answer 7

Yes, religion wasn't the only problem with the Roman Empire. Read up on a history book sometime. POlitics destry everything. And the socail hierarchy had its problems too. If you're blaming Christians, please stop. And it was the official religion. Just like Hinduism is the national religion in India. You don't have to be Hindi to live in INdia. You'll just be in a religious minority.

Answer 8

Actually, many historians consider Constantine's move to Christianity as a very shrewd one. It may well be argued that the Dark Ages happened in spite of Rome becoming Christian!

Have a great evening!

Answer 9

Yea, Rome was so nice, the Roman Circus featured gladiators who sliced each other to death a slow kill make more ratings. They were the most cruel vicious monsters in ancient history. We have been learning about them and they showed no mercy to old or young. They used whips to beat to death old men for nothing. Young women from poor family's you don't even want to know what they did to them.
How could Christianity make them worse?
They died from the inside from disease from their promiscuous life style. Gluttony and alcoholic life style.
The only reason the Christians remain was because they didn't do what the Romans did. Survival of the fittest.

Answer 10

OH yes probably like whats going on in the middle east right now just different reasons but the same hate ever since EDOM